Steely Dan Appreciation Thread (RIP Walter Becker)

Walter was the literary voice behind SteelyDanWorld for Donald to sing. Walter could have had an alternative career writing short story collections and having amusing articles published in The New Yorker.

Loved his work. I’ll miss him.

Sad news and a genuine wit. Love love love steely dan and have tickets to see them in October. Won’t be the same without him (if df still wants to play that is).

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got properly into them a couple of years ago, one of my favourite bands now

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I found out later that the liner notes from the debut album were a spoof by Walter Becker. This works if you know what a Steely Dan is.

Thus treads heavily the titantic of Steely Dan, casting a long shadow upon the contemporary rock wasteland aspiring to spill its seeds on barren ground, and at the same time, struggling to make sense out of the flotsam and jetsam of its electric musical heritage. With a solid first album under its belt, and with an ever expanding reputation as a dynamic performing group, it would appear that the Dan’s place on the American musical scene is assured.
Dan Steele. Outre’ Daniel, Steely Dan. It’s growing. - Tristan Fabriani

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Peg is an amazing song!

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I never would have listened to them when I was younger but over the last few years I’ve completely fallen for them. The run of albums up to Aja is amazing - barely a note out of place throughout but also a clear, steady progress towards one of the greatest albums ever made.

All of those albums are worth hearing, but Aja is just perfect in every way.

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If I hadn’t discovered Steely Dan at uni, I’m sure I would have eventually as my tastes matured. Like I did for olives, fine spirits and dark chocolate.

Pretzel Logic is the one that seduced me…that and Coutdown to Ecstacy are my faves but they’re all awesome. I think “My Old School” is my fav Dan tune for historic reasons of hating my school, oh and also “Pretzel Logic”…Walter’s days are gone forever RIP

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probably my favourite band of all time, really effortlessly cool, intriguing, distant yet relate-able always with a knowing smirk. Got me through some hard hard times.

RIP Walter!

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saw him with the Dan back in 2009 perform the complete Aja.

Great show. RIP.

Man what a loss. Every music lover will go through a Steely Dan phase at some point. Here’s my top 20:

  1. Your Gold Teeth II
  2. Peg
  3. My Old School
  4. Home at Last
  5. Gaucho
  6. Deacon Blues
  7. Doctor Wu
  8. The Boston Rag
  9. King of the World
  10. Your Gold Teeth
  11. Black Cow
  12. The Fez
  13. Aja
  14. Barrytown
  15. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
  16. Third World Man
  17. Only a Fool Would Say That
  18. Reelin’ in the Years
  19. Hey Nineteen
  20. Bad Sneakers

No Josie or Any Major Dude?

Dirty Work?

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I mean I had to cut my list off somewhere.

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yeah yeah ok, thought I put that in. top ten for sure

God every one of those is unbelievably good! I’d be happy to have written just one.

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yeah tough list to make! Reeling way higher for me, always loved that song

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Going to try a top 10:

  1. Deacon Blues
  2. Kid Charlemagne
  3. Black Cow
  4. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
  5. The Fez
  6. Peg
  7. Barrytown
  8. Any World (That I’m Welcome To)
  9. Show Biz Kids
  10. Josie
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the chorus of Deacon Blues is just so good.

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